R. Kelly is facing a mountain of legal problems due to the ongoing claims surrounding the multiple sex tapes that have reportedly been turned over to police. While many of R. Kelly’s loyal fans are still questioning the claims being made by his alleged victims, Dominique Gardner’s recounting of her tumultuous relationship with R. Kelly has made many people into believers.

Back in January, Dominique’s escape from R. Kelly was documented during Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly. Although her mother, Michelle Kramer, has spoken out on multiple occasions, Dominique has always opted to remain silent — until now.

According to The New Yorker, Dominique has finally decided to speak out, sharing details about the disturbing abuse she reportedly suffered. From physical to emotional abuse, her nine-year relationship with R. Kelly was — by her account — filled with all kinds of turmoil.

The 25-year-old was asked about Surviving R. Kelly, and about the singer’s latest controversial interview with Gayle King. While Dominique admitted that she did catch glimpses of his CBS This Morning interview last week, she made it clear she had no desire to see the Lifetime docuseries because she had endured the actual abuse. According to Dominique, there were times when R. Kelly allegedly spanked her, beat her, and pulled Dominique’s hair from her head.

She admitted that her strength and level of defiance often clashed with R. Kelly’s personality. She recalled one time that she fired back at R. Kelly, and even threw a carrot at him. She admitted that this act sent him over the edge.

“He grabbed me and he pulled my hair out, and I had, like, patches torn from my hair. [I] felt as [if] we disrespected him or disobeyed him, it’s like a parent when your children go against your word.”

But despite the alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of R. Kelly, she refuses to identify the mental anguish as “brainwashing.” While there have been many discussions of R. Kelly’s actions being classified as “mind games,” Dominique says otherwise. In her case, she claims R. Kelly allegedly tried to mentally destroy her — but failed to do so.

“I wouldn’t even say ‘mind games.’ It was just the fact that he tried to break me,” she said. “I couldn’t be broken. He wanted that control over me, and I wouldn’t give him that power.”

While R. Kelly’s sex scandal and court case have been major topics of discussion over the last several weeks, Dominique has made it clear that she wants no form of publicity, and would rather heal in private. “I just want to heal. I just want my privacy.”

“People may disagree or hate me for what I’m saying. That’s the reason why I never wanted to come out. Because I’m not trying to defend him and what he has done, but at the end of the day, you don’t understand what he’s been through as a child,” she said.

R. Kelly is currently facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual battery. Now that a third sex tape has been turned over to authorities, there is a possibility that more charges could be added.